Softball

Five Bulldogs Claim All-GLIAC Kudos; Bowler Tabbed GLIAC Pitcher Of The Year

May 03, 2013

Big Rapids, Mich. - Five Ferris State University softball players have received All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) recognition for the 2013 campaign as the league's all-conference awards were announced on Friday (May 3) in conjunction with the GLIAC Tournament at Findlay, Ohio.

Senior ace pitcher Dana Bowler (Lockport, Ill.) was a first-team all-conference player and also tabbed as the GLIAC's Pitcher of the Year for her accomplishments this season. In addition, junior utility player Amy Dunleavy (Canton) and senior catcher Liz Hamming (Hudsonville) were recognized as second-team all-league selections while senior second baseman Lainee Clay (Wheelersburg, Ohio) was an All-GLIAC Honorable Mention pick along with sophomore shortstop Michelle Tononi (Clinton Township).

Together, the five helped lead the Bulldogs to a 28-12 regular-season record and a runner-up finish in league play with a 20-6 GLIAC mark this season. FSU also earned the number two seed overall for the GLIAC Tournament being held at Findlay's Marathon Diamond Fields.

Bowler posted a 20-6 overall mark in regular-season action this season for the Bulldogs and ranked first in the league in both wins (20) and strikeouts (193) entering the conference tournament. She also led FSU with a 1.08 earned run average, 25 complete games, 12 solo shutouts and 175.1 innings of work while limiting the opposition to a miniscule 1.08 batting average.

This week, Bowler was chosen as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II National Pitcher of the Week after picking up the win in seven of FSU's eight victories last week. She entered the league tournament riding a 12-game winning streak in the circle and had tossed a school-record 12 shutouts this year along with an active streak of 41 consecutive scoreless innings and five-straight shutouts.

Meanwhile, Dunleavy led the squad with 37 hits, 36 RBI's and a .325 batting average in 40 regular-season contests. She also scored 29 runs, compiled a squad-high eight homers with four doubles and a triple. Additionally, she posted the squad's second-most pitching wins with an 8-4 overall record in 15 appearances along with a pair of complete games in 61.1 innings pitched. Dunleavy has split time this year at pitcher, third base and DP for the Bulldogs.

Hamming registered a .265 batting average in 36 regular-season appearances and made 36 starts at catcher for the Bulldogs. One of the league's top defensive catchers, she poted a .988 fielding percentage with only three errors and tallied 26 hits, 22 RBI's, seven homers and four doubles while scoring 14 runs.

Clay posted a .279 average in regular-season action and started all 28 games she played at second base after coming back from an injury. Her totals included 24 hits, 12 runs, 10 RBI's and six doubles in 86 at-bats.

Finally, Tononi has currently posted a .246 batting average while starting evey contest at shortshop and ranking among the league's top defensive players. She presently has 28 hits, 17 runs scored and 13 RBI's this year to go with eight sacrifice hits and a .958 fielding percentage.

Along with Bowler being tabbed as the GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, the GLIAC's other postseason awards went to Grand Valley State University designated player Katie Martin as the "Player of the Year", GVSU pitcher Sara Andrasik as "Freshman of the Year" along with head coach Doug Woods of Grand Valley State, who was chosen as the GLIAC "Coach of the Year" by his peers.